Tomatoes, tomatoes, and MORE tomatoes!

No doubt about it, I had a beautiful garden. During June and July everything was growing nicely, and the garden was lush and beautiful, with practically no weeds. Mulching with grass clippings helped keep the weeds down.

Then came August and conventions and the weeds got ahead of me. The tomato plants that I had so lovingly tied to their stakes again and again became heavy with fruit, and collapsed. Now the beauty of the garden is a different story--we have a bountiful harvest! Early this week I picked the ripe and nearly ripe tomatoes since we had a frost warning. I brought them into my kitchen for frost protection, and to can.

First thing Wednesday morning, I got started. I wash them, cook them, then put them through a food mill and can them in quart jars. Before the day was over, I had 28 quarts done. And, before the day was over, I was tired of standing on my feet! And tired of looking at tomatoes!

I haven't counted the tomatoes I have already done on my canning shelf in the cellar, but I think I must have between 75 and 100 quarts. I have some left over from last year, too.

Spaghetti, anyone? Or chili? We will be eating lots of good stuff this winter at our house! Come and join us!

On Thursday, Ross only had one class and it was such a beautiful day that we decided to dig some of the potatoes in the afternoon. He ran the shovel and I picked them up. (The next morning when I got out of bed, I discovered some new muscles!) We still have a row of potatoes to dig, and so far it has been a bumper crop.

Now, the beauty of the garden is in the fruitfulness of it. My garden was a wonderful investment this year and paid great yields!